32 member UPFA Cabinet to be sworn in on Saturday

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 April 2004, 17:41 GMT]
A thirty-two member cabinet of the United People's Freedom Alliance is likely to be sworn in Saturday, sources in Colombo said. A conference of leaders of constituent parties of the UPFA was held Thursday with President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge in the chair and the allocation of ministries has been finalized, government sources said Thursday.

Earlier, the UPFA had made arrangements to hold the swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet on Friday, April 9, but later it was put off as it was the Good Friday Day, sources said

UPFA leaders have agreed that Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar be made Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr.Anura Bandaranaike Tourism and Investment Promotion Minister, Mr. Mangala Samaraweera Power and Energy Minister, Mr.Susil Premajayantha, Education and Higher Education Minister, Mr.Sarath Amunugama Human Resources Development Minister, Mr.Anura Priyadarshna Media Minister and Mr.John Seneviratne Health Minister, authoritative sources said.

Ms Ferial Ashraff, leader of the National Unity Alliance, will be made Minister of Trade and Commerce and her party stalwart Mr. A.L.M.Athaullah will be Minister of Highways, UPFA sources said.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), main constituent of the UPFA, has already submitted eight names of the party, four for cabinet ranks and four for deputy ministry posts, to the Prime Minister, Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse. However top ranks of the JVP have decided not join the new cabinet, sources said.